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I’m not prepared for my exam! Should I reschedule or retake?

Working in the Exam Registration Department, I receive a number of phone calls and emails from candidates expressing their fears that they are not prepared to sit for their upcoming exam. If you find yourself feeling this same way, please read on!

If you currently have an exam scheduled, but feel unprepared, you have two options:

Reschedule your exam. ACE allows for a one-time reschedule at the cost of $149. You have until 11:59pm PST the night before your scheduled exam to reschedule. This can be done online through your ACE account in the "My Exam Information" section of your account.

Sit for your exam even though you feel unprepared. This option, which is highly encouraged for a number of reasons, results in two possible outcomes:

You pass! This is often the case when a candidate knows more than he or she realizes, or if he or she is simply experiencing test-taking anxiety or fears before taking the exam. These are common feelings amongst candidates. Just remember to focus on what you know and how to prove it on the exam.

Or, you don't pass. Fortunately, there are some positives to this outcome. First, you will have experienced what it is like to take the exam, which will give you a better idea of what to expect when you take it again. You will also receive a detailed score report, which shows how you performed in each of the four exam-content domains. You will also have the option to work with our study coaches while preparing for your retake exam. This is a free service ACE offers to you, the candidate, to give you the best possible chance at successfully passing the exam the next time around. The cost to retake an exam is $199, a price that is available to you for one year from your original exam date.

The monetary difference between option one ($149 reschedule fee) and option two ($199 retake fee) is $50, a difference that you, as the candidate, need to evaluate according to your budget and needs. Is the extra $50 worth having the experience of the exam, receiving a score report and working with our study coaches to prepare for your retake exam? Only you can make this decision, but it is worth noting that, even though you may feel unprepared, if you sit for the exam you may in fact pass and become certified!

Remember, we do not require you to correctly answer all 150 multiple-choice questions to pass the exam. Instead, we require that you earn 500 of the possible 800 points on the exam. Do this and you will become an ACE-certified Professional!

In the end, if you have an exam scheduled and are available to attend, ACE recommends that you sit for your exam and give it your best effort. You may be more prepared than you realize.

Alex Link is the Certification and Exam Registration Coordinator at ACE. She holds a BS in Sports Science with an emphasis in Sports Medicine, as well as an MS in Exercise Physiology. Additionally, ACE is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach.